This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 on Application No. 2001-284180, filed in Japan on Sep. 18, 2001, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device for transportation means, for example, a jet propulsion boat and the like of the form in which a jet water stream is discharged through a nozzle to thereby advance a boat hull. When the boat hull takes a turn to the left or right, a direction of the nozzle is changed by steering. In this respect, the transportation means refers to a general transportation means including ships, airplanes, railroads, vehicles and the like.
2. Description of Background Art
A jet propulsion boat obtains a propulsive force by discharging a jet water stream. The jet propulsion boat changes the direction of the jet water stream to thereby change the direction of the boat hull. Therefore, the jet propulsion boat cannot change direction without a jet water stream.
When avoiding, for example, an obstacle, a human being tends to reduce the boat speed and at the same time, to turn the steering wheel to the left or right as a general reaction. To reduce the boat speed means to close the throttle. Even though the steering wheel is turned to the left or right when the throttle has been closed, it becomes impossible to change the direction of the boat hull at will because there is no jet water stream.
As technique for complementing such a characteristic of the jet propulsion boat, there is known, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,059. The above-described technique is, according to FIGS. 2 and 3 of this document, such that one end of a throttle cable 44 is connected to a throttle regulator 46. The other end of the throttle cable 44 is connected to a throttle lever 34. A throttle return spring 49 is arranged for returning the throttle lever 34 to its original state. A compressible material 52 is arranged at the base of the throttle lever 34, whereby consideration has been given such that when the throttle lever 34 is released, the throttle regulator 46 is prevented from being abruptly closed. In addition, even when the throttle lever 34 is returned, a predetermined jet water stream can be maintained for a short while.
The above-described control type thrust steering gear for a ship mechanically controls in such a manner that when the throttle lever 34 is returned, a predetermined jet water stream can be maintained for a little while. More specifically, in a transportation means for performing such control, there is preferably a display device capable of sensitively and directly notifying the driver that the transportation means is under control.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a display device capable of sensitively and directly notifying the condition of the transportation means.
In order to achieve the above-described object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, a display device for a transportation means is equipped with a liquid crystal display unit displaying operation information. An ordinary movement of the transportation means is regarded as an ordinary state. When the need arises for abruptly reducing the speed of the transportation means or abruptly changing the direction of the transportation means, and the like, it is regarded as a non-ordinary state. A liquid crystal display unit reverses a white-and-black display thereof when the transportation means shifts from the ordinary state to the non-ordinary state.
When the transportation means shifts from the ordinary state to the non-ordinary state, and the white-and-black display of the liquid crystal display unit is reversed, to thereby sensitively and directly notify the driver that the transportation means is in a non-ordinary state.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a display device for a transportation means includes a white-displayed portion in an ordinary state, which is caused to reverse and blink in the order of black-white-black in a non-ordinary state, and a black-displayed portion in the ordinary state is caused to reverse and blink in the order of white-black-white in the non-ordinary state. In the non-ordinary state, reversing and blinking is caused to thereby strongly give the impression on the driver that the transportation means is in the non-ordinary state.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.